Retrospective Ruminations
by Lady Pandora
Summary: Several members of the Atlantis Expedition take a moment during the expedition's last week on Earth to ponder their lives and the decision to undertake a journey to the Pegasus galaxy. Shep, Weir, McKay, Zelenka, Beckett, Bates, Grodin, & OC. Part 1 of Atlantis series.
1. Chapter 1: Sheppard

A/N: Sincere thanks to theicemenace for her help, patience, beta skills, and putting up with a newbie who's still trying to figure out what she's doing! Credit also to Jae'a for making sure Radek sounded right, and to my dear friend Deanna for moral support, playing editor, brainstorming, nagging me until I had a fully fleshed OC complete with background and quirks, and for the occasional smack upside the head. Any mistakes still there are solely the author's.

Underlined & italicized words indicate that the characters are speaking in _Czech_. The few remaining Czech words will have a translation at the end of the relevent chapters.

Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the Stargate franchise, aside from some action figures, patches and photos. If I did own them, Stargate Atlantis would still be entertaining us with new adventures every week! I do, however, own all rights to Dr. Bethany Noble, Sergeant Bryan Reynolds, and any other OCs that may crop up in the future.

Thanks for reading~ Lady Pandora

* * *

**Stargate Atlantis**

**Retrospective Ruminations**

**Chapter 1: Sheppard**

**three days prior to dialout**

John Sheppard sat on the riverbank flipping a coin as he watched the water flow by. His world had been turned upside down when he innocently sat in a funky-looking chair at a secret base in Antarctica, and he still wasn't sure how he felt about everything he'd learned since then.

Who knew his family would have some odd genetic quirk that allowed him to use Ancient technology? He knew his dad liked to think their family was superior to everyone else, and would have loved to know that their genes proved that to be true. John's refusal to follow the path laid out for him had caused irreparable damage to his relationship with his father and brother, which would have killed his mom if she'd still been alive. Then again, if she'd still been alive she would have encouraged him to follow his heart. She had believed in him and supported his choices, encouraging him to dream big and take chances.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, flipping it open to a well-worn photo of his mom and himself, taken only a few months before she passed away. They looked so much alike: the same eyes, same wild black hair, even the same smirk as they looked at the camera. She had encouraged his love of flying, even going so far as to get him glider lessons for his tenth birthday. His dad, predictably, had been furious over it, but by the time he'd found out it was too late.

When his mom passed away it was as if all the joy in their house had been buried with her. His dad had little tolerance for what he called John's flighty nature and tried his best to push John into the mold he felt his son should fit. The fact that John took after his mom in temperament as well as looks caused so much friction that the two of them hadn't spoken in years. As far as his dad was concerned John ceased to be his son when he chose to join the Air Force instead of taking his place in the family business. They had reconciled briefly while John was married to Nancy, but once the divorce was finalized the older Sheppard son became persona non grata once again.

A smaller picture of Dave and himself, both soaking wet from a dip in the pool, had been hidden behind the first photo. John couldn't bring himself to take it out of the wallet, in spite of what had happened between them since. That picture was a reminder of a time prior to his mom's death when the two brothers had been inseparable; where you found the one, you would always find the other. After his mom died they no longer had the freedom to pursue their own interests, and unlike John, Dave had chosen to follow the path laid out before him without complaint. John's choices had created a rift between them that had widened into a chasm when he chose to join the Air Force.

In the third photo his ex-wife looked up at him with a smile on her face as she held a small box with a heart-shaped pendant nestled inside. The bittersweet memory of that day played out in his mind once again.

"_John? Where are you?" He could hear her voice through the open window in their bedroom, but he was too busy trying to wrap her anniversary present to immediately respond._

"_John?" He heard the sliding door open and shut as she entered the house. _Crap, _he thought._ I just need another minute to finish this. _"I'm upstairs, honey. I'll be down in a moment."_

"_Hurry up! I'm hungry! Want me to start grilling the steaks?" she asked from where she stood at the foot of the stairs._

"_Yeah, that would be great. Be right there," John answered. He tucked the little package into a pocket, quickly hiding any incriminating evidence under his gym bag, and grabbed his camera from the shelf. He took the stairs two at a time, catching Nancy as she struggled to open the sliding glass door. He grabbed the plate of steaks and slid the door open. She carried the salad and a bottle of wine to the table,_ _hips swaying provocatively as she walked. John followed behind, admiring the view, until she turned and pointed at the grill. _

"_Food, John. Now!" she ordered, laughter in her voice. _

"_Yes, ma'am." He said as he snapped off a salute. Nancy just rolled her eyes. _

_They enjoyed a leisurely meal as they caught up on each other's day. After the meal John set the box on the table between them. Nancy looked at it in surprise. "What is this?"_

"_Guess you'll have to open it and see," John replied. _

_Nancy opened the box to reveal a heart-shaped pendant with a piece of dark amber embedded in the center, surrounded by tiny sapphires and emeralds. "John! It's gorgeous!" she exclaimed, lifting it out of the box. She looked up at him just as he took a picture, wanting to capture this moment. _

"_I had this made just for you. There isn't a gem that matches hazel eyes, but I thought a mix of amber, sapphire and emerald came close." John fastened it around her neck, hands gliding over her shoulders as he pulled her close. "Happy anniversary, sweetheart." _

John sighed, remembering the fights that had followed over the next couple of years as Nancy struggled to deal with the secrecy surrounding his job, and finalization of their divorce right before his posting to Antarctica. A part of him wished that he could turn back time and choose a different door, but the realistic part of his brain knew that he would still have chosen the Air Force over the family business and Nancy. He hoped that Nancy would find the happiness she deserved now that she was free of him.

The last picture was one of his buddies Mitch and Dex standing in front of the Blackhawk that had been shot down a week later. He pushed back the memory of that day, the explosion so severe that they were unable to recover any bodies to ship back. John recalled the hours he spent searching for their dog tags, and how this one event had been the point at which he'd determined to never leave a man behind, no matter what the cost to himself. The choices he's made since then had resulted in his posting to Antarctica and the decision he now found himself faced with.

He stuck the wallet back in his pocket and flipped the coin one last time. _Heads. Okay, off to the unknown it is. _John stood up, dusted himself off, and walked back to his car, mind already sorting through what he'd need to do before they shipped out in three days.


	2. Chapter 2: McKay

A/N: Sincere thanks to theicemenace for her help, patience, beta skills, and putting up with a newbie who's still trying to figure out what she's doing! Any mistakes still there are solely the author's.

Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the Stargate franchise, aside from some action figures, patches and photos. If I did own them, Stargate Atlantis would still be entertaining us with new adventures every week! I do, however, own all rights to Dr. Bethany Noble, Sergeant Bryan Reynolds, and any other OCs that may crop up in the future.

Thank you for the lovely reviews! Makes me feel so loved after the panic attack I had posting Chapter 1. 1st story, 1st chapter... yep, panic attack. :) This is Chapter 2 of 8, and I hope to post one each night until I'm done.

Enjoy! ~ Lady Pandora

* * *

**Stargate Atlantis**

**Retrospective Ruminations**

**Chapter Two: McKay**

**three days prior to dialout**

Rodney McKay looked around his empty apartment. The storage company had just left with everything he owned, aside from a few framed photos and his bags. _When had his life become so empty?_ he wondered. Sure, he had his work at Area 51, his unfortunate stint in Russia, and most recently the Ancient outpost in Antarctica, but aside from his cat and a neighbor who barely tolerated him he knew no one outside of work.

He walked over to the mantel and picked up a framed picture of Jeannie and himself as kids. Both of them were caked in snow from head to toe. One could almost hear the laughter as they posed for the photographer, mugs of hot cocoa held in one hand while each sibling made the classic rabbit ears gesture behind each other's head.

"_Mer, stop it!" Jeannie ducked as he tried to shove a handful of snow down the neck of her jacket. She stooped down to scoop up some snow, quickly forming a snowball. He growled when it hit him in the ace, threatening her with bodily harm if she did it again._

_Jeannie shrieked with laughter as Rodney chased her around the yard, the two of them slipping and sliding as they hit icy patches underneath the layer of snow. They fell so many times that they were both covered n snow. Rodney reached out a hand to snag Jeannie's arm and she dodged sideways, feet flying up as she hit an icy patch and lost her balance. He dove after her, cushioning her fall so that she landed on him._

_Rodney grunted at the impact. "Angh! You need to lose some weight, Jeannie," he said, rolling sideways to slip out from under her. Jeannie elbowed him in response but he barely felt it through the layers of clothing. The siblings quickly regained their footing, facing each other as they both packed more snow into snowballs. _

"_Meredith! Jeannie! I have some cocoa for you," their housekeeper called as she came out onto the front porch. She handed the mugs to both kids and pointed to a spot out on the lawn. "Go stand there, please, so I can take a picture of the two of you." _

_The pair looked at each other over the rims of their mugs as they walked over to the indicated spot. Rodney winked at Jeannie and she grinned. The mugs were moved to their outside hands as the siblings waited for the housekeeper to say 'cheese'. Quick as a flash both siblings made rabbit ears behind each other's heads, laughing so hard they almost spilled their cocoa. Their housekeeper shook her head resignedly; she'd expected something, but with these two one never knew what it would be. _

"_Can I have a copy of the picture?" Rodney asked as he bumped Jeannie with his hip, causing her to spill cocoa down the front of her jacket. _

"_Of course, Meredith." Rodney rolled his eyes at the hated name, knowing it was futile to point out that he went by _Rodney_, not Meredith. "Finish your cocoa, children, then come inside and get cleaned up. Your folks will be home soon and we wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea, now would we?" She smiled at them and walked back inside the house._

_The next day she had left an envelope on his desk while they were t school. He'd opened it to find a copy of the picture, just as she'd promised. He bought a frame for it a week later, and had taken it with him everywhere since then. _

Rodney turned the frame over and popped out the photo, slipping it gently between the pages of a reference book he planned to take with him.

He reached for the next frame, staring at the photo of Jeannie, his folks, and himself at his college graduation. His folks looked like they'd rather be anywhere else, but Jeannie had an arm around his waist and was practically glowing with happiness for him. Regret for their lost bond pierced his carefully constructed mask, the glass reflecting his wounded eyes back at him. He quickly flipped the frame over and removed the photo, placing it in the book with the first one.

The last frame held a picture of his beloved cat, who even now was twining himself around Rodney's legs as he purred loudly. Rodney had argued with anyone and everyone at the SGC in an effort to get someone to agree to him taking his cat, but to no avail. He reached down to pick up Schrodinger; the cat collapsed in his arms with delight as Rodney stroked his soft fur. "I wish I could take you with me, Schrodinger. Why the SGC can't understand my need for your companionship is beyond me. I explained it all in great detail, using language even a child could understand." He rested his hand briefly against the cat's ribs, feeling the vibrations from his loud purring. "Time to get you ready to go, and time for me to be on my way."

He gently set the cat back down, then reached for the last frame to remove the picture and place it with the other two. He shoved the book into his laptop bag and turned around for one last look. He dropped Schrodinger off with his next door neighbor and headed downstairs to the vehicle waiting to take him to Cheyenne Mountain.


	3. Chapter 3: Weir

A/N: As stated before, I owe many thanks to theicemenace for beta skills. If you haven't already done so, go read her stuff. She's a very talented writer. :) Any remaining mistakes are solely the author's.

Enjoy! ~ Lady Pandora

* * *

**Stargate Atlantis**

**Retrospective Ruminations**

**Chapter Three: Weir**

**One day prior to dialout**

Elizabeth Weir took a deep breath as she finished watching the recording she'd made for Simon. She felt torn between her burning desire to see what would be found in the Pegasus galaxy and her relationship with Simon. Deep down she knew that, if she truly cared for Simon as much as she pretended to, she would have asked to tell him in person instead of resorting to a video that he may or may not even be given clearance to see, or even chosen not to take the position when it was offered to her. The video allowed her to explain where she was going without the inevitable argument about why she should stay and why he couldn't leave, but she wondered if it was taking the coward's way out by not telling him face to face.

_I love Simon, I really do, but not enough to pass up the opportunity of a lifetime. _She sighed, trying not to dwell on what that truly said about their relationship. _I know him well enough to respect his dedication to his job and his patients, and to know that he would never drop everything at a moment's notice to join me on the expedition. Carson is perfect for the job of CMO, and perhaps Simon will opt to join me at a later time. _Simon had been there for her when she needed him, a calm influence to help her regain her balance after a difficult negotiation, and she would always love him for that. _Problem is, I can't help but wonder what we will find in the Pegasus galaxy._ _Will I finally get to meet some Ancients? Will we truly find the lost city? _

The cooling of their relationship had started with her agreement to head the SGC, as so many things had to be kept secret. Spending several months in the Antarctic hadn't helped matters, as she couldn't tell him why she was there. Without intending it to, her highly classified work had come between the two of them. He was used to the sometimes highly classified negotiations, but she had always been able to tell him about them once they were completed. HOever, the very thick non-disclosure agreement she'd signed for the SGC gave her absolutely no wiggle room to explain what she did.

She gave the video to Walter and left for home to finish her packing.

**later that day**

Elizabeth looked around the house, eyeing the various pieces she'd picked up from her travels around the globe. She knew the restrictions on personal items, and had yet to decide what her one personal item would be. Sedge wandered into the room and padded over to her, woofing softly. She reached down to scratch behind his ears, laughing as he leaned against her and knocked her off-balance.

"I wish I could take you with me, Sedge." She squatted down and rested her head against his side for a moment, arms around his neck in a hug, before she stood up and walked to the bedroom to finish packing.

Sedge recognized the signs of his human leaving yet again, and he stuck like a burr to her side. He liked Simon, but _Elizabeth_ was his human and he missed her deeply every time she left.

Elizabeth picked up a loose photo of Sedge and herself in the garden that Simon had taken just the other day, smiling at the memory of that day. She tucked the photo into her pack and walked with it out into the living room, glancing around at the framed pictures of herself with various dignitaries from around the world, two different Presidents, Simon and herself on vacation in Paris, and a couple works of art she'd picked up. None of it meant much to her except for one picture on the mantel, of her folks from several years ago. Resting in front of it was her father's watch, and she realized what her one personal item would be. She removed the photo from its frame, tucking it behind the one of Sedge, and picked up her dad's pocket watch. He had always encouraged her to follow her dreams and not to let anyone hold her back. _He would be so proud of me for taking on this adventure, and he would tell me to follow my heart to wherever it led._

A car horn sounded outside, indicating that her ride had arrived. She bent down one last time to hug Sedge. "Good-bye, Sedge," she said softly. "Take care of Simon while I'm gone. Mommy loves you." He gave her a doggy kiss and she laughed as she wiped the slobber of her face.

Elizabeth picked up her pack and looked around one last time, then walked out the door to embrace the next chapter in her life.


	4. Chapter 4: Zelenka

A/N: Underlined & italicized words indicate that the characters are speaking in _Czech_. The few remaining Czech words will have a translation at the end of the chapter. The proverbs came from a list of Czech proverbss I found online. Any Czech mistakes are mine and mine alone (and Google Translate).

As always, sincere thanks to theicemenace! Thank you to Jae'a for reading my ramblings about Radek and making sure he sounded right, and a shout out to the gals from the Zelenka thread and the Flyboys thread on GW for the laughs and support. *squishy hugs* Any mistakes still there are solely the author's.

**OC WARNING!:** This chapter is the first one that mentions my OC, Doctor Bethany Noble. She will show up again in Chapter 7, and Chapter 8 is all hers. I hope you enjoy her character; I have worked hard to avoid any hint of Mary Sue-ness. Please do not make disparaging comments simply because she is an OC. You have been warned, and I will not be offended if you use the back key.

Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the Stargate franchise, aside from DVDS & Blu-rays, some action figures (why is there not a Zelenka one?), shirts, patches and photos. If I did own them, Stargate Atlantis would still be entertaining us with new adventures every week! I do, however, own all rights to Dr. Bethany Noble, Sergeant Bryan Reynolds, and any other OCs that may crop up in the future.

I was going to wait and post one a day, but... to hell with it! The rest will be up shortly.

Enjoy! ~ Lady Pandora

* * *

**Stargate Atlantis**

**Retrospective Ruminations**

**Chapter Four: Zelenka**

**Two days prior to dialout**

Radek waved goodbye to Beth as he pulled a key ring out of his pocket, grateful that the SGC had found him a residence in the same complex so that they could carpool. He hadn't relished the notion of trying to drive in an unfamiliar country. As he thumbed through the keys to locate the right one, his fingers brushed against the familiar feel of a metallic pigeon in flight. He grinned to himself. _Only _his_ sister would find something like that and insist that he put it on his key ring_. He opened the door of his apartment and walked in, dropping keys, laptop case and briefcase on the small table just inside the door.

Several minutes later he was sat on the couch eating a meal of whatever leftovers were in his fridge_. I should really do some shopping_, he thought. _Or perhaps go out to eat tomorrow night? Maybe Beth, Rodney, and some of the others would like to have dinner together to commemorate our last night on Earth._

Radek retrieved the laptop and composed a quick invite, sending it off to anyone he thought might be interested. His in-box pinged and he clicked open an email from his sister. She had sent him several pictures of the family, including a scan of his parents' wedding photo, and had somehow managed to get new shots of each of his beloved pigeons. She might grumble and complain, but she had never let him down when he made requests for photos. He composed a quick email thanking her for the photos and letting her know he would be out of contact for an extended period of time. He finished by saying that he would catch up with her when he had the opportunity and asked her to send any communications to the email and postal addresses given to him earlier that day.

He also sent off a short email to his brother. They might not speak that much, but family was family and he would miss the _idiot_. A favorite phrase of his mother's popped into his head. _What's at home, counts_**.** He chuckled, remembering how she would scold the two of them for their hijinks and remind them that they would only have each other someday.

As Radek surveyed the room another of his mother's oft-used phrases ran through his mind. _Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today._He could almost see his mother standing in front of him, one hand on her hip and the other waving as she indicated the apartment. _Ano, máma,__ I will do my packing tonight._

A hour later Radek looked at the pile of possessions on the couch and wondered where it had all come from. _I did not think I had acquired so many items during my short stay here._ He picked up a picture frame, smiling at the photo of himself and his pigeons taken shortly before he left for Antarctica. _Is a shame I cannot take any of them with me, but who knows what we will be walking into. Better they stay in Prague where they are safe and well cared for. _He slipped the photo out of the frame, tucking it into a pocket of his laptop bag. Several photos of his family were added to the pocket as he quickly removed them from their frames.

As he removed the most recent photo of his sister's family from its frame a small photo fluttered to the ground. He bent to pick it up, wondering why he still had it. The snapshot, that of a lovely brown-haired woman standing in front of Křižík's Fountain, pulled him into memories he'd thought buried deep down.

"_Radku!__" Izabela called to him, her breath frosty in the January temperatures. "__Take my picture!__" She posed in front of the famous fountain, the ends of her scarf swirling around her as the wind caught them. Her laughter was infectious, and he grinned at her exuberance. He pulled out his camera and took several shots, capturing her as she twirled and spun, capturing some of the falling snowflakes on her tongue. _

_Later on they sat in a café, sipping hot beverages while they watched the snow fall. They argued her theory, Radek playing devil's advocate as Izabela ran through her dissertation. She was to present it to the committee the following day, and if she couldn't make them see the validity of her theory there was a very real possibility that she would be denied the doctorate she had worked so hard for. Radek intended to see that she had all the help he could provide. _

_He knew that there were rumors floating around about the two of them, but as she wasn't his student he felt no qualms about their relationship. The head of the department had cautioned him about public displays but agreed that, as long as they were discreet, there was no conflict that he could discern. Oddly enough, the biggest concern came from his sister. She'd been worried when he told her that Izabela was almost a decade younger, as she knew how Radek felt about children. _

Six months after the picture was taken they had come to a parting of ways, as she discovered that he was serious about not wanting a family of his own, and a month later Radek had chosen to accept Dr. Weir's offer as a way to remove himself from an increasingly uncomfortable situation. He hadn't heard from Izabela since leaving Prague, although a couple colleagues had kept him abreast of the goings on at the university. He set the photo inside one of the boxes destined for storage, not quite ready to destroy it but not wanting the memories to follow him to Atlantis.

Radek walked into the bedroom to collect the last picture. A smile played on his lips as he looked affectionately at the subject, remembering the day he took the photo.

"_Dr. Zelenka," a British voice called out. _

_Radek turned to see Peter Grodin motioning to him. "Yes?" he asked as he walked over to where Peter stood next to a workstation holding one of the Ancient drones. _

"_Can you return this to Noble for me? The great and powerful Oz has summoned me to his presence." Peter grinned as he held out a small digital camera. Both men chuckled at the staff nickname for the arrogant and irritating Dr. McKay._

_Radek took it from him with a nod. "Is no problem. I am headed that direction anyway."_

"_Thank you." Peter said, grimacing as Rodney's voice echoed through the structure. He sighed and hurried off towards the irate voice. _

_Radek inspected the camera as he walked towards Beth's small office. This camera looked much better than his old 35mm and he idly toyed with the idea of purchasing a new one when he was back in civilization. He rounded the corner and saw Beth perched on her stool, chin in one hand as she typed with the other. _

"_Dobrý den, Běta," he called as he approached, having learned the hard way that her response to being startled sometimes meant a knife headed his way before she realized who was there, especially if she was still on her first cup of coffee. Lucky for him he'd ducked as soon as he'd seen her reach for it, and the only damage had been a divot in the ice. McKay had been furious that she would cavalierly throw knives around the Ancient facility, but backed off quickly when she pulled another one from a belt sheath and flipped it idly as she looked at him. Radek knew she would never actually throw one at McKay, no matter how much he drove her crazy, but he decided to keep that bit of information to himself._

_Beth sat up and spun around, a smile lighting up her face. "__Ahoj, Radku__. How are you this morning? McKay has been on a rampage, so I'd steer clear of him if you can." _

_He smiled shyly in return, saying, "I am well, děkuji. Grodin asked that I bring you your camera." He held it out towards her as he spoke._

"_Just set it on the table, if you would," she waved a hand at the table beside her, its surface covered with reference book, papers, and writing implements. He hesitated and she looked at him curiously. "What?"_

"_May I try it?" he asked. "I hope to purchase a new camera when we return to Colorado and am curious as to how a digital one compares to my 35mm." _

_Beth shrugged. "Sure. Just bring it back to me when you're done." She spun back around, eyes focusing back on the screen._

"_Actually, I would like to take a picture of you," he said quietly._

_Beth looked at the scruffy scientist standing there hopefully and gestured at herself. "I'm not exactly dressed for a photo op," she said wryly. _

"_Ah, but you are working, yes? That is what I would like to capture."_

_Beth held out her arms and grinned. "In that case, go ahead. But keep in mind that grunge is not my best look." At his confused look she explained about the Seattle grunge music scene and the look it had inspired. _

_Radek looked down at his somewhat disheveled appearance and commented drily, "I appear to have embraced the grunge look without knowing what it was." He snapped the picture as Beth cracked up, laughing so hard she almost fell off the stool. _

Radek removed the photo from its frame and walked back to the living room to tuck it in with the others. He enjoyed his friendship with Beth very much; he found her fascinating, both to talk to and to simply observe. She could be very temperamental, yet at the same time she had a streak of mischief and an almost childlike joy in life. He felt his spirits lift when he was around her, and delighted in doing little things just to see her smile. The months in Antarctica had been some of the best of his life, on a professional level as well as a personal level. He had to remind himself some days that they were simply good friends, nothing more, but in his heart he hoped that someday that might change.

* * *

A/N – Czech translations

Ano, mama: Yes, mama

Radku: Radek

Dobrý den – Good day (colloquial and common use)

Běta: Beth

Ahoj: Hello

Děkuji: thank you

Sakra – Damn it

And for those who might be curious about the Czech proverbs, here they are with English translations:

Co je doma, to se počítá. – What's at home, counts.

Co můžeš udělat dnes, neodkládej na zítřek. – Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today.


	5. Chapter 5: Beckett

A/N: Sincere thanks to theicemenace for betaing! Any remaining mistakes are solely the author's.

Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the Stargate franchise, aside from DVDS & Blu-rays, some action figures (why is there not a Zelenka one?), shirts, patches and photos. If I did own them, Stargate Atlantis would still be entertaining us with new adventures every week! I do, however, own all rights to Dr. Bethany Noble, Sergeant Bryan Reynolds, and any other OCs that may crop up in the future.

Enjoy! ~ Lady Pandora

* * *

**Stargate Atlantis**

**Retrospective Ruminations**

**Chapter Five: Beckett**

**Six days before dialout**

Carson settled himself into the seat, thankful that someone from the SGC had sprung for first class accommodations. The long flight would be much more comfortable than it would have been in economy class. A flight attendant stopped by and took his drink request, returning with a bottled water and a glass of orange juice. He sipped at the orange juice as he watched the world fall away, amazed as always by the miracle of flight. His mum's parting words came back to him and he smiled, knowing that wherever he went she would still expect him to behave in a manner befitting a Beckett.

"_And no more swearing, Carson. It's undignified for a doctor to do so, and bad for your patients to hear you say such things when you examine them," she'd said. _

"_But, mum, sometimes bloody is a descriptor, not a swear word," Carson protested. "Besides, Angus _was_ being a bloody fool! He may be my brother-in-law but an idiot is an idiot." _

_She shot him a look that he remembered all too well from his youth. "Enough. Find another way to say it, Carson. Buy a dictionary if you have to, but no more swearing!"_

_He hung his head. "Yes, mum. I'll do my best."_

She wrapped him in a hug, squeezing until he couldn't breathe before reluctantly releasing him. "That's all I ask for, son. That you do your best. Take care of yourself, and remember I love you." She gave a him a peck on the cheek.

"_I love you too, mum," he said, quickly turning away before either of them started crying. He hugged his sisters and their families, a process that took longer than he'd anticipated, and ran down the long hallway to catch his plane._

Carson reclined the seat and leaned back, closing his eyes as he thought about the last few days with his family. So many images flashed across his mind's eye, some good, some not so much, but all of them of his family, friends and beloved Scotland. He idly wondered what his mum would have made of Rodney. _I bet the no swearing rule would have disappeared quickly_, he chuckled to himself. _Mum has quite the temper when you get her riled up, and Lord knows Rodney excels at riling people._

**Two days before dialout**

Carson flopped onto his bed with a deep sigh. Knowing that everything had been checked and double-checked by someone else did little to ease his mind, but he wasn't quite ready to get into another argument with Sergeant Bates about his need to verify the medical supplies. The military man didn't understand why he couldn't simply take someone else's word that what he'd requested was actually there, but he'd learned the hard way to check everything himself. _I don't want to end up with three boxes of tongue depressors and no bandages. Bad enough to have something like that happen when supplies are simply a week's wait away. There is no guarantee that we'll be able to get supplies in Atlantis, and I refuse to assume that everything we forget will simply be provided once we arrive. Better safe than sorry, as my mum says._

He idly wondered what Rodney was doing, realizing that he hadn't seen the irritable scientist since he'd gotten back. _I'll bet the idiot hasn't taken time to eat more than a few energy bars today. As his doctor it's my responsibility to make sure he eats._

Carson sat up and slipped his shoes back on, then headed to Rodney's lab, determined to see to it that the scientist had at least one decent meal that day. He found Rodney and the Czech scientist… _What was his name? Ah yes, Radek_… arguing over some piece of equipment.

"Gentlemen, would you care to join me for a bite to eat? I hear the food is quite tasty today," he said as he stepped into the lab, which looked like a pair of mad scientists had gone crazy in the space. Wiring, metal pieces, and schematics covered every available surface. The pair turned to look at him, blinking as they switched gears. Carson hid a grin, knowing it would offend them both if he told them that their expressions were so much alike.

"Carson. Can't you see we're busy right now?" Rodney said irritably.

"Aye, I can see that. But when was the last time you ate?" Carson asked calmly.

Radek answered, "It's been several hours since either of us had more than an energy bar."

"Then, as your physician, I order both of you to take a break and eat a hot meal," Carson said in a firm voice.

Rodney started to sputter but stopped when Carson looked at him and mimed jabbing him with a big needle. "Fine," he huffed. "It's not like I was making any progress with Zelenka's interference." He walked out the door and down the hallway, followed by Radek and Carson.

Carson chuckled softly as Zelenka muttered in his native language. He might not speak Czech, but he knew cursing when he heard it. Rodney ignored his fellow scientist, choosing instead to speculate about what was being served that day and whether there would be any blue Jell-O left.


	6. Chapter 6: Bates

A/N: Once again, sincere thanks to theicemenace for betaing! Any remaining mistakes are solely the author's.

This chapter came about due to Bates' video bit in Letters from Pegasus. It's a lot shorter than the others, but the idea was there and I wanted to explore it a bit.

Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the Stargate franchise, aside from DVDS & Blu-rays, some action figures, shirts, patches and photos. If I did own them, Stargate Atlantis would still be entertaining us with new adventures every week! I do, however, own all rights to Dr. Bethany Noble, Sergeant Bryan Reynolds, and any other OCs that may crop up in the future.

Enjoy! ~ Lady Pandora

* * *

**Stargate Atlantis**

**Retrospective Ruminations**

**Chapter Six: Bates**

**One day before dialout**

Sergeant Bates walked into his assigned quarters and shut the door, quickly stripping off his BDUs and tossing them into the hamper as he walked to the adjoining bathroom. He ached in a way he hadn't since boot camp, but he knew his body would quickly grow accustomed to it. He showered and dressed in sweats, stretching out on the bed with a sigh of relief.

His mind drifted as he lay there, running through everything he'd done today to double-check for any errors before moving on to thoughts of his little brother. Getting tickets to a Lakers game had been one of those fortuitous events that he still couldn't believe had happened, but he was glad to have the memory to treasure. It seemed like the Marine Corps was continually taking him further and further away, this time all the way to another galaxy from which they may not return. He prayed to whatever gods were out there that his younger brother would stick with the path before him and not stray into the world of gangs and drugs that most of his classmates had drifted into.

Bates thought about his mom, and her struggle to keep the family together. She was the toughest woman he knew, even counting the female Marines he worked with. His mind wandered through various childhood memories, some good and some not, and he eventually fell asleep.

A page on the intercom woke Bates from a sound sleep. He glanced at the clock, glad he'd managed to get four hours of sleep this time. Colonel Sumner seemed to run on caffeine and adrenaline, and expected Bates to do the same. Bates had long ago mastered the technique of surviving on whatever sleep he could manage, but it had the unfortunate side effect of making him a lot less tolerant of the civilians than he normally would be.

A quick change into BDUs and he was headed for the gate room, where he found Colonel Sumner waiting impatiently. The two men reviewed the ordinance supply list and did a visual inspection of the pallets of ordinance, then Colonel Sumner ordered them wrapped for departure.

Bates checked in with the team leaders, making sure everyone knew their orders. He ordered each Marine to double-check their equipment and spent part of the afternoon helping Lieutenant Ford conduct an inspection of each Marine's gear.


	7. Chapter 7: Grodin

A/N: Sincere thanks to theicemenace for betaing! Any remaining mistakes are solely the author's.

Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the Stargate franchise, aside from DVDS & Blu-rays, some action figures, shirts, patches and photos. If I did own them, Stargate Atlantis would still be entertaining us with new adventures every week! I do, however, own all rights to Dr. Bethany Noble, Sergeant Bryan Reynolds, and any other OCs that may crop up in the future.

Enjoy! ~ Lady Pandora

* * *

**Stargate Atlantis**

**Retrospective Ruminations**

**Chapter Seven: Grodin**

**The night before dialout**

Peter Grodin took a deep sip from his teacup, feeling the warmth spread throughout his body. He still hadn't warmed up from his months spent in the Antarctic, and hoped that it would be warmer in the Pegasus galaxy. _An English winter I can handle, but I cannot seem to get the bone-deep Antarctic chill out of my system. What I wouldn't give to be at home in front of a roaring fire, with Mum serving me scones and clotted cream_, he thought wistfully.

Peter enjoyed the challenges that had been presented to him upon joining the Atlantis expedition, but there were days when he wondered what he had truly gotten himself into. _Mum always warned me to look before I leaped._ He had a high respect for Dr. McKay, but working with the man was another kettle of fish entirely. Over the last couple of months he'd come to realize that the cranky scientist hid a different person behind the sarcasm and irritability, and he hoped to pursue a friendship with the 'man behind the mask', so to speak.

Setting the empty teacup down, Peter picked up a framed photo of his family, taken on the day of his graduation from university. His mum was so proud of him, and over the next several days she told everyone she ran into that her son was now a doctor. He'd laughed at the confusion from some of her friends; to them a doctor would always mean a man of medicine, and Peter was clearly not that. Even some of his family didn't understand what it meant.

"_You're a doctor of engineering? That doesn't sound like a real degree to me, Peter," his grandma said, a puzzled expression on her face. "How will you ever find a job?"_

"_I promise, Grandma, it's a real degree," he replied, careful to keep a note of respect in his tone when he really wanted to roll his eyes in annoyance. "I have several offers of employment already."_

"_Well, as long as you can find a job and a nice girl to settle down with, I'm sure everything will work out for the best." She patted his hand reassuringly as Peter fought a grin. "Now, be a dear and pour us another cup of tea." _

He chuckled as he set the frame back down and picked up another one, this one containing a snapshot of a beautiful Antarctic sunset. He'd borrowed Beth's camera to get the shot. It had taken several nights to get the perfect photo, and the best one he's gotten failed to truly capture its beauty. Looking at the picture reminded him of the morning he'd met Beth Noble.

_Peter looked up to see a petite brunette scanning the tables. He smiled when she glanced his way, motioning for her to join him. She hesitated a moment before sitting down across the table from him._

"_Welcome to Antarctica. I'm Dr. Peter Grodin, but you can call me Peter," he said in a soft-spoken voice. _

"_Nice to meet you, Peter," she said. "Dr. Bethany Noble; please call me Beth." _

_Peter took a sip from his mug and asked, "What brings you to our piece of frozen paradise?" _

_Beth chuckled at his descriptor. "I'm here to assist Dr. Jackson with translations." _

"_Ah," Peter remarked, "that would make you the linguistics expert Dr. Jackson said he was bringing in from Stargate Command." _

"_That would be me," she said with a grin, "Although Daniel is as much an expert as I am."_

_They chatted as they ate, finding that Peter had graduated from the same University Beth had attended for her undergraduate work. They discovered a fondness for some of the same local restaurants and pubs, and Beth admitted to still enjoying a good strong cup of tea now and then to offset her coffee addiction. His dry humor had her laughing as he identified each person in the room by some quirk or trait that he'd observed. He told her about the little shop in his hometown and the tea master who had created a blend just for him. Peter offered her some of his tea for the road, and they filled a couple thermal mugs with the brew before heading outside. _

"_The sun's about to come up," Peter observed. "I know a good place to watch if you're interested." _

_Beth glanced at her watch, realizing there was plenty of time before she was due to report below. "Yes, please. I'd like that." _

_They walked around the back of the barracks and up a small rise, arriving just as the sun started to peek above the horizon. They stood in silence for several minutes, sipping their drinks and watching the sky come alive with color. _

_Peter finally broke the silence. "Incredible, isn't it? I never get tired of seeing it."_

"_It's spectacular!" Beth said enthusiastically. "I only wish I had my camera on me. I'll have to try to capture this some morning. Thank you for showing me, Peter." _

"_You're welcome. I try to catch either the sunrise or sunset each day. It reminds me that there is beauty to be found even in this frozen wasteland." He briskly rubbed his hands together. "And now it's time to head down and get started on the day."_

Peter leaned back in the chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. He contemplated the journey they were about to embark on, speculating on what might be at the other end of the wormhole. The thrill of the unknown was what had initially led him to say yes to Dr. Weir when she approached him to join the Antarctic team, and again when she offered him a position on the Atlantis expedition. He looked forward to the journey, knowing that whatever it brought he would have friends and colleagues working side by side with him to help ensure their success.


	8. Chapter 8: Noble

A/N: Underlined & italicized words indicate that the characters are speaking in _Czech_. The remaining Czech words will have a translation at the end of the chapter.

As always, sincere thanks to theicemenace for beta work! Any mistakes still there are solely the author's.

**OC WARNING!:** This chapter is the POV of my OC, Dr. Bethany Noble. I hope you enjoy her character; I have worked hard to avoid any hint of Mary Sue-ness. I will not be offended if you use the back key at this point. This is the first of what will be a series of stories that will explore the relationship between Beth and Radek, and what happens with to the expedition members, all done around canon. I do not plan on writing any AU at this point, but you never know. The brain is what it is. *grin* Some things will be an episode tag of sorts from a different POV, some things will take place in between episodes, and the rest... there's probably no good explanation for.

Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the Stargate franchise, aside from DVDS & Blu-rays, some action figures (why is there not a Zelenka one?), shirts, patches and photos. If I did own them, Stargate Atlantis would still be entertaining us with new adventures every week! I do, however, own all rights to Dr. Bethany Noble, Sergeant Bryan Reynolds, and any other OCs that may crop up in the future.

Enjoy! ~ Lady Pandora

* * *

**Stargate Atlantis**

**Retrospective Ruminations**

**Chapter Eight: Noble**

**Morning of the dialout**

Beth looked around her office, the space larger than it normally felt without all the books, artifacts, and assorted detritus accumulated over six years of working at Stargate Command. A couple of notebooks and a bandolier of knives were on the desk beside to the computer monitor, and her bulging pack sat in the office chair.

"Am I interrupting?" Daniel Jackson asked as he walked in.

"Nope. I was just taking one last look around. Hard to believe that this time tomorrow I'll be in another galaxy," Beth said with a grin. "It seems like only yesterday that I took my first trip through the Stargate."

Daniel handed her an envelope, saying, "Listen, I'm not really good at the whole saying good-bye thing, so…" His voice trailed off and he looked at her.

Beth gave him a hug. "Thanks for everything, Daniel. I know we've had our differences, but I've really enjoyed working with you. I wouldn't trade the last few years for anything."

"It's certainly been an experience, hasn't it?" he said with wry grin. "I'll leave you to finish up. Safe travels, and don't forget to write home."

"Take care, Daniel. Try not to die again anytime soon, okay?" Beth teased.

He laughed. "I'll do my best. Jack has already threatened me with dire consequences if I do, and Teal'c told me it would be preferable that I stay in my present form and not Ascend. Sam hasn't weighed in on it yet, what with everything that's been going on the last few months, but it's only a matter of time. See you around." He waved as he left, headed for the control room.

Beth opened the envelope. Inside she found a piece of notebook paper around several photos.

_**Beth,**_

_**I wanted to give you something to take as a reminder, a 'good luck and safe travels' gift if you will, but due to the restrictions on personal items I had to come up with an alternate plan. I hope when you look at these pictures they remind you of your friends and colleagues in the Milky Way, and your journey to Atlantis.**_

_**Safe journey **_

_**Daniel**_

_**P.S. **__**Don't choose Ascension if it's offered; it's not worth it. Trust me on this. ~D**_

She looked at the first photo, some unusual hieroglyphs she'd photographed while on a dig in 1998. _I can't believe Daniel kept this all these years. If I'd known at the time that sending this to him would lead to the last few years, I wonder if I'd have been brave enough to go through with it._ She thought back to the day it was taken, and how that led to meeting Daniel and joining the Stargate program.

**_On a dig in Egypt circa late summer 1998:_**

_A string of multi-lingual swearing came from a large, shabby-looking brown tent off to one side of the dig. Dr. Bethany Noble, linguist and archaeologist, came storming out of the tent with a stack of blurry photos in one hand. She ran a hand through her shoulder-length shaggy brown hair as she stalked over to the main area of the dig, still muttering in various languages. The two students emerging from the dig quickly moved out of the way of the irate woman in khakis. "Jeff!" she called down as she reached edge of the dig. _

"_Yes, Beth?" His voice echoed up from the passageway leading down into the newly discovered tomb. _

"_I need to take some additional photos of the hieroglyphs in the second room. The shots your students took are all blurry. How soon can I come down?" Her request echoed down the passageway. _

"_Your timing is rather good, actually. I was about to declare a rest period. Give us a few minutes to get clear and it's all yours. I'll have Carmen set up some extra lights for you," Professor Jeff Greene called back. _

_Beth collected her cameras and equipment, hearing the chatter of the students as they headed to various spots to enjoy their break. _

"_It's all yours," Jeff said as he popped his head into the tent. "You need any help with that?" He asked, indicating the gear. _

"_No, I've got it. And thank you. I appreciate it." She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and grabbed her gear, slinging the pack over a shoulder with practiced ease. _

"_No big deal. Like I said, they were due for a break anyway. Have fun…" he said as he headed off to his tent for a quick nap._

_Carmen had brought in enough additional lighting to flood the small room before heading up to the campsite, making Beth's task much less onerous that it would have been otherwise. Beth set up her camera and tripod, noting the lighting conditions, and adjusted camera settings to compensate. An hour later she sighed, stretching, and quickly packed everything back up. She headed back to the surface to print out the new batch of photos, hoping this time she'd be able to see the images clearly._

**_Later that night:_**

What the hell!?_ Beth rubbed her eyes wearily before focusing on the photograph again, certain she was simply hallucinating those weird-looking hieroglyphs. _This makes absolutely no sense at all._ She looked at the section she was translating, trying to make sense of the passage. She looked down at her notes and then back at the photo as she tried to figure out the unknown glyphs. _

The god Ra _(what's with the yellow eyes?)_ traveled through the _(an odd circular image)_ to bestow the gift of _(it looks like a weird snake thing?)_ on his faithful followers among the _(pyramid or chevron shape with a small circle on top)_.

"_Damn. Still doesn't make any sense. Who do I know who might be able to help with this?" she mused. "Branson? No. Too out there for him. Taylor? No, she's focused on the Sumerians the last few years. Wait, what about… ummm… what was his name?" She snapped her fingers, trying to remember. "Johnson? No, Jackson! Daniel Jackson! He presented some odd theory about the pyramids and the ancient Egyptians at a symposium a couple years back." She dug a battered copy of an archaeology magazine out of her pack, flipping to the section listing contact information. "I don't know if this mailing address is even valid anymore, but it's certainly worth a shot. Maybe he can make sense of this." Fitting action to words, Beth composed a message asking for his assistance in translating, including her partial translation and the photos of hieroglyphs from the tomb wall along with the message, and then headed off to bed. The next morning she hitched a ride to Cairo on the supply truck. She had them drop her at the U.S. Embassy, where she checked for any potential assignments and dropped her letter off to be sent in the next mail packet headed Stateside. _

**_Mid-morning at the dig, roughly two weeks later:_**

_Beth vaguely registered the sound of an approaching vehicle but ignored it as unimportant. She was focused on sorting through the shards of what she thought was an urn that two of the archaeology students had found in a corner of the third room earlier that morning, hoping to find the missing piece for the section she had painstakingly assembled. She jumped in surprise when someone behind her cleared his throat, muttering swearing as part of the section collapsed back into the general pile of shards. "Sakra! Are you f****** kidding me? __It took me three hours to get that pieced together!" she fumed. "This had better be important!"_

_An unfamiliar voice spoke from behind her. "Uh. Yeah. Sorry about that. I'm, uh, I'm looking for Doctor Noble?" _

"_You've found her," she said as she turned around to see a brown-haired man in military-issue green BDUs standing there. Out of habit she glanced over his uniform, noting his name 'JACKSON' and the lack of rank insignia on the front, a unit patch on his right sleeve, and what looked like the earth with one of her strange hieroglyphs superimposed over it on the left. _

"_Hello. I'm Doctor Daniel Jackson. I understand you found some interesting hieroglyphs," he said with a smile. _

_She blinked at him for a moment, wondering if she was hallucinating in the heat. "Hello, Dr. Jackson. Welcome to my little corner of hell. And please, call me Beth." She looked at him curiously. "Those must be really interesting hieroglyphs to have you show up on my doorstep, so to speak."_

"_Call me Daniel. I was actually hoping to take a look at them in situ, if possible," he said eagerly. _

"_Let me see when the students are taking their next break." She stepped out of the tent and walked over to the dig site. "Hey Jeff, when are you stopping for lunch? I have a visitor who would like to see the second room's hieroglyphs in situ." _

_His voice floated back up at her. "Ummm… in about half an hour or so, I think. We moved the lights out of that room earlier, but I'll have a couple guys place some back before you come down."_

"_Thanks, Jeff," Beth called back. She turned to look at Daniel, pointing to the patch on his left sleeve embroidered with one of the mystery hieroglyphs, and asked what it meant._

_He replied that the patch identified him as a member of the Tau'ri, or people of Earth. _

"_So now the Air Force identifies itself as being from Earth rather than the United States?" she asked skeptically. "Sounds a bit far-fetched to me."_

"_It's a long story." Daniel asked to look at any photos she had while they were waiting. They headed back to her tent and she handed him the stack of pictures from that room._

_A little while later the two of them were in the second room looking at the hieroglyphs, and what she assumed were rows of decorative script, on the back wall. Daniel read aloud the bit that she'd had such a hard time translating, adding in some words she had never heard before._

_The (_Goa'uld_) god Ra traveled through the (_Chappa'ai or Stargate_) to bestow the gift of (_a Goa'uld symbiote_) on his faithful followers among the (_Tau'ri or people of Earth_). _

"_The hell? What is a 'Chappa'ai'? Or a 'Goa'uld'?" she asked._

_Daniel replied, "Chappa'ai is another word for Stargate." _

"_You _do_ realize that still doesn't make sense, right? What is a 'Stargate'? Sounds like science fiction to me," she said, still skeptical. "And 'Goa'uld'? Exactly what is that? What source are you using? I haven't been able to find anything on these symbols or their meaning." _

"_I've spent the better part of the last few years working on this." Daniel grinned and added, "You've been granted security clearance for The Project, if you're interested."_

"_What project?" she scoffed. "The last time you presented anything was at a symposium on Ancient Egypt, and that was over two years ago! Since then you've basically vanished off the academic radar."_

"_Let's just say that a unique opportunity presented itself and I haven't regretted my decision to take a leap of faith into the unknown." Daniel pointed to the unit designation patch on his right sleeve and said, "This patch signifies SG-1, the unit I am a member of. For me to tell you anything else, such as what a Goa'uld is, you'd need to sign a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement. Interested?" he asked with a grin, pulling a folder out of his bag. "If you decide to sign everything will be taken care of. Travel plans have been arranged for departure out of Cairo. We leave as soon as you're ready."_

"_A non-disclosure agreement? I already have top level security clearance, Daniel, as part of my contract work for the U.N. and the embassy. How much higher does this go?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the U.S. military, would it?" _

"_It might." He laughed as she fidgeted a moment while thinking it through. "I can also explain what these are," he said, pointing to what she thought were a series of decorative script or squiggles next to the set of hieroglyphs in question. "And in all honesty I wouldn't be making this offer if I didn't feel you were up to the challenge."_

"_Do prdele__," she muttered, knowing that she'd regret not taking him up on his offer. "Okay, I'm curious enough to sign the damn document."_

_Daniel handed the folder to her. Beth perused the document inside, noting that it was similar to her embassy nondisclosure agreement, and signed where indicated. "Okay. Now what?" _

"_You'll need to come to Cheyenne Mountain with me. Due to national security, I can't tell you anything else until we're on the transport headed out of Egypt." He laughed as she rolled her eyes. _

"_I can't just walk away from my commitments here, or at the embassy in Cairo," she said. "It'll take me a couple days or so to get things sorted out."_

"_Can you use an extra set of hands?" he asked. "I'd much rather stay busy, and being on a dig site makes me itch to dive in." _

_Beth chuckled. "Who am I to deny a fellow archaeologist the pleasure of digging through history?" Daniel grinned and moved to the table of shards, eager to get to work. _

A noise from the hallway pulled her out of the memory. Two members of the Atlantis expedition walked by her office, arguing vehemently in a mixture of German and English, and continued on down the hall. Beth grinned as she mentally translated their argument. _Good luck, guys. There's no way General O'Neill will let you take a couple coolers of German sausages. Who knows if we'll have refrigerators where we end up? You'll have to eat MREs with the rest of us_.

She slid the first picture to the back and looked at the second one, chuckling as she recognized the two figures sparring in the slightly grainy security photo. _Poor Teal'c. He tried his best to teach me staff fighting. I really wish that yoga and knife throwing equated to grace and balance for staff training, but no such luck! At least I don't end up on the floor two minutes into a sparring match now; it takes at least five before I hit the mat! _

The third photo commemorated her first trip through the gate. Beth smiled at the picture of herself and Bryan mugging for the camera on P2X-586.

"I remember that! A little more exciting than we'd thought it would be, wasn't it?" A voice came from behind her as a hand reached out to touch the photo.

Beth said wryly, "Exciting wasn't _exactly_ the word I was thinking of. As I recall, about two minutes after this was taken all hell broke loose."

"Hey, we got out of there in one piece, didn't we? And I had your six the whole time," Sergeant Bryan Reynolds commented as he ruffled her hair, which was several inches shorter than it had been a couple days ago.

She swatted at his hand irritably. "Stop that, you idiot! You know, that mission was the first time I ever threw a knife intending to injure someone. I'd only used them as a warning in the past. I didn't even think about it at the time; I just threw it and finished dialing the gate." Beth grimaced as the image of the knife handle sticking out of the Jaffa's chest flashed in her mind. "Still not sure how I feel about that, but if it came down to a choice between the bad guys or us, I'd do it again."

Bryan squeezed her shoulder. "I'd be concerned if you were okay with it. You're civilian, not military. You shouldn't be used to it. So," he asked, changing the subject, "what other photos are in the stack?"

Beth flipped to the next one, a shot of several SGC personnel at a hockey game. "I wonder who took this? It looks like the final game from last season. What a great game that was! I still can't believe that last second shot to break the tie. Hmmm, that reminds me… General O'Neill still owes me a steak. He should know better than to bet against Canada in the World Championships."

The intercom crackled, calling all Atlantis-bound military personnel to a final briefing. "That's my cue. I'll see you in the gate room," Bryan called as he left.

Beth absent-mindedly waved at him as she thumbed through the next few photos. The first one was a shot of Daniel and herself in his office. Based on the number of coffee cups, the scribbles on the white board, and the pile of reference materials she guessed it was late one night during one of their marathon work weeks. The next three were all a bit grainy, and she guessed they'd been taken from security feeds at Area 51. _Leave it to Daniel to include a shot of me going toe to toe with McKay_, she thought wryly.

"_Excuse me_." An accented voice came from the doorway. "I was looking for Dr. Noble."

Beth smiled as she turned around, "_Ahoj, Radku_."

"Beth?" Radek said in surprise. "What has happened to your hair?"

"I decided to cut it short again, like I wore at university. Low maintenance and no fuss." She fluffed the ends and asked, "What do you think?"

"It will take some getting used to, but the style suits you," he said with a shy smile. "What are those?" He indicated the photos in her hand.

"Some photos that Daniel, Dr. Jackson, gave me earlier."

"May I see them?" he requested hesitantly.

"Sure." Radek peered over her shoulder as she flipped through the first few photos again.

"Someday, perhaps you will tell me the stories behind these pictures." he remarked.

"If you'd like, although most of them are fairly prosaic." She turned to a new photo in the stack, one she recognized immediately as she had been the photographer. "I didn't realize Daniel had a copy of this."

"Is sunrise in the Antarctic, yes?" Radek said questioningly.

"Yeah, it is. I met Peter Grodin at breakfast the morning after I arrived at the Ancient outpost, and he invited me to join him outside to see the sunrise. I was amazed at the beauty of the frozen landscape and knew I had to try to capture it. The picture really doesn't do it justice though." She fell silent as she thought about that morning.

"_B__ě__ta_?" Radek looked at her quizzically.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, Radek. My mind was wandering." Beth flipped to the next shot, one of her and Radek in her makeshift office in Antarctica, heads close together as they worked on a project. "I know who took this one. Bryan. He teased me about it for a couple days, then suddenly stopped."

Radek grinned. "He quit because I overheard him and threatened dire consequences if he didn't. The military learn very quickly not to irritate the scientists. He spent a lot of time moving equipment over the next few days."

"That explains the dirty looks!" Beth chuckled. "I had no idea why he was suddenly the only person capable of moving anything, but I was too involved in translating to give it much thought."

"Do you remember when we met?" he asked.

"Like I could forget that! It's not every day I meet a fellow Czech in the middle of a frozen wasteland..."

_Bryan pointed Beth to a small canvas tent, similar to Daniel's, that had been set up at the far end of the hollowed out space underneath the ice. There was barely any room to move, but Beth was so relieved to have a space of her own that she didn't care. She headed straight for the two boxes sitting on the table, ripping off the tape and peering inside both before digging into one. _

"_Someone should be here shortly to connect you up," Bryan said, grinning as she triumphantly pulled a notebook out of the box and immediately started leafing through it._

"_Thanks. Now go bug someone else. I have things to do," she ordered, focused on the notebook. _

"_Yes, ma'am!" He grinned and threw her a teasing salute, which she caught from the corner of her eye. _

_She shook her head and groused, "__Kiss my ass__,__ Bry__." _

"_Language…" he tossed back as he left._

"_A*******__," she retorted as she focused back on the notebook in her hands. A soft chuckle came from behind her. She turned around to see a brown-haired man standing there, amusement in the blue eyes framed by round Lennon-style glasses. _

"_Ahoj__," he said in slightly accented English. "__I'm Dr. Radek Zelenka__. You need to be connected to the ancient database and the network, yes?" _

_Beth felt her cheeks warm in embarrassment. "__Dr. Bethany Noble__. Sorry about that. I'm not used to working around anyone who understands Czech."_

_Radek smiled in understanding. "I have done the same thing myself from time to time, knowing that no one else would understand what I was saying. I did not think anyone here spoke Czech." He flashed a quizzical look at her as he walked over to her workstation. _

"_I'm Czech on my mom's side. She taught me to speak it as a child, and I used to visit family in Prague every summer break. I'm a bit rusty, actually, as it's hard to stay truly fluent without someone to talk to, but it's a very effective tool when dealing with smartass military types." She grinned impishly, thinking of all the times she'd frustrated Bryan by retorting in Czech. _

"_If you are interested," he said hesitantly, "I would enjoy conversing in Czech, to help you keep in practice." His shy smile lit up his face. _

"_I'd enjoy that very much, Dr. Zelenka." _

"_Call me Radek." His muffled voice came from underneath the workstation. He muttered under his breath about asking an electrical engineer to do an electrician's work as he efficiently made the necessary connections, swearing in Czech when one of the leads sparked. _

_Beth laughed at the expletives and responded, "Beth, or __B__ě__ta__ if you'd like. Can I help with anything?"_

"_Hand me your laptop, __prosím__." He took it from her__and quickly attached a couple leads from a coil in one pocket. "And my tablet? Thank you." He attached the other leads to his tablet. Radek talked softly to himself in a mixture of Czech and English as he worked. He removed the connections from her laptop a few moments later and handed it to her. "Log in and see if you can access the network now." _

_A few keystrokes later Beth's inbox began to fill up with messages. "__Děkuji, Radku__." She scrolled through them, noting several from McKay that were marked 'urgent'. _

"_Rádo se stalo!__ Let me know if you have any problems." He collected his tools and walked back towards the chair room. _

Beth winced at the memory. "I made a stellar first impression, didn't I?"

"I admit, it's not every day I walk into a room to hear someone cursing in Czech. It was… memorable." He chuckled as her cheeks warmed. "No need for embarrassment. My siblings would cause me to swear if I was forced to work with them on a daily basis."

"We're not actually siblings, just really good friends," she said with a laugh.

He shrugged. "Looks like siblings to me."

Beth flipped to the last photo, a picture of the gate room, with the wormhole engaged and SG-1 walking up the ramp. "Walter must have taken this one."

"And we will shortly be taking a trip of our own through the wormhole, yes? Assuming that McKay can get the ZPM to work, that is. The man requested me to be part of his team, yet will not let me help him with the connections even though I am electrical engineer while he is mechanical. Worlds of difference," Radek grumbled as Beth listened to him in amusement.

She placed the photos inside a notebook and added it to her pack. "You know, it's liable to be awhile yet before we're needed. Want to grab a bite to eat?" Beth asked as she placed the other notebook and the bandolier of knives inside the pack and closed it up.

Radek gestured towards the open door. "Lead the way."

Beth slung the pack over one shoulder and walked through the door for the last time. The pair conversed in Czech as they walked, adding their voices to the multi-lingual cacophony echoing throughout the halls of the SGC.

* * *

A/N – Czech translations

Sakra – Damn it

Do prdele - Shit

Radku: Radek

Běta: Beth

Ahoj: Hello

Prosím: Please

Děkuji - thank you

Rádo se stalo! – You're welcome!


End file.
